The biggest question for the Steelers is, for now, the identity of the team’s next coach. Once a coach is hired, the question pivots to the identity of the team’s quarterback.
Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Steelers are open to the idea of Aaron Rodgers returning for a second season.
Per the report, “almost all Steelers players” conveyed during exit meetings their desire to have Rodgers on the team for a second season.
The question is whether the next coach will want him. And, if the next coach has a defensive background, the opinion of the offensive coordinator becomes critical, too.
From the team’s perspective, the best way to play it is to let Rodgers make the decision on his own, especially since (as owner Art Rooney II said this week), Rodgers came to Pittsburgh because of former coach Mike Tomlin. That’s far better than telling Rodgers no, given the manner in which he put the Jets on blast after they told him it was over, following the 2024 season.
Again, the first step is to hire a coach. That will go a long way toward deciding whether Rodgers wants to return, and whether the next coach prefers to move on.
